MBTA reduced fares cut the price of a subway ride in Boston from $2.40 to $1.10, and some riders can travel for free. The T runs four main discount programs, for older adults, people with disabilities or Medicare, riders enrolled in state assistance, and students at participating schools. This guide, based on MBTA program pages as of Oct. 26, 2026, covers who qualifies, what each card costs and how to apply.
What reduced fares cost
According to the MBTA’s subway fare page, a one-way subway trip is $2.40 at full price and $1.10 with a reduced fare card. Income-eligible and disability (TAP) cards can be loaded with cash value for roughly 50% off one-way fares, a $10 seven-day LinkPass or a $30 monthly LinkPass. Full-price riders pay $22.50 and $90 for those passes. Reduced cards also unlock discounted Commuter Rail and ferry tickets.
Since Sept. 1, 2026, the T has been piloting a transfer policy that allows unlimited transfers between subway, bus and ferry within a two-hour window, charging only the highest-priced service, as long as the rider uses the same payment method.
Income-eligible reduced fares (ages 18 to 64)
The income-eligible program, which replaced the Youth Pass on Oct. 31, 2024, covers Massachusetts residents ages 18 to 64 with a government ID who are enrolled in one of these programs:
- SNAP or TAFDC
- EAEDC
- MassHealth Standard, CarePlus, Family Assistance or Limited
- MASSGrant (manual document upload required)
Riders apply through a MyCharlie account. Automatic ID verification gives an immediate decision; uploading documents gets an emailed decision within two business days. Cards arrive in about seven to 10 business days, and eligibility must be renewed every year.
Senior CharlieCard and Car-Free Seniors
Riders 65 and older qualify for a Senior CharlieCard, which takes at least 50% off one-way fares and passes on the subway, bus, Commuter Rail and ferry. Riders 75 and older who hold an RMV-issued Massachusetts ID card, not a driver’s license, can get a Car-Free Seniors CharlieCard with free fares on those same modes. The MBTA describes that program as a pilot launched in October 2026 with the RMV. Both senior cards are valid for eight years and include discounted trips on The RIDE. TBR covered the Car-Free Seniors enrollment launch earlier this month.
Transportation Access Pass for disabilities and Medicare
People with a documented disability and Medicare cardholders can apply for a Transportation Access Pass (TAP). Accepted proof includes a signed Health Care Professional Certification form, an RMV disability placard, a Medicare, One Care or Tufts Health Unify card, a VA benefits letter, or letters from the Department of Mental Health, MassAbility or the Department of Developmental Services. Depending on the document, the benefit lasts up to five years; using a RIDE ID number instead gives one year. TAP cards do not carry RIDE discounts.
How to apply in person
All programs can be handled at the Charlie Service Center, 296 Washington St., between Milk and Water streets near State Street and Downtown Crossing stations. Bring a government photo ID; one that expired within the last three years is accepted. Approved applicants get a temporary card the same day. Appointments are offered Mondays from 8:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. MBTA customer support is at 617-222-3200, weekdays 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Reduced fare benefits can also be linked to a contactless bank card or phone.
Middle and high school students at schools enrolled in the MBTA Student Pass Program get S-Cards or M7 cards through their school, according to the reduced fares overview.
Why it matters in Boston
About 95,900 of Boston’s 378,200 workers age 16 and older, roughly 25%, commute by public transportation, according to the Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey (table B08301). A 2019 MIT randomized trial on the MBTA found that low-income riders offered a 50% discount took about a third more trips, with the biggest gains in trips to social services and health care. For upcoming disruptions, see TBR’s MBTA winter service changes guide and what is being fixed on the T.
Sources
- MBTA: Income-Eligible Reduced Fare
- MBTA: Senior Programs
- MBTA: Transportation Access Pass
- MBTA: Subway Fares
- U.S. Census Bureau: ACS 2024 1-year, B08301 Means of Transportation to Work, Boston city
- MIT News: An experiment illuminates the value of public transportation
Additional sources
- MBTA: Reduced Fares overview
- MBTA: Recent and Upcoming Fare Projects
- Mass.gov: Registry of Motor Vehicles (Mass ID cards)
Photo: MBTA fare gates at Park Street station, by 4300streetcar, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0.
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